


let the world we dream about be the one we live in now

by Lilsciencequeen



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Bittersweet, F/M, Flashbacks, Forbidden Love, Happy Ending, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Inspired by Hadestown, Persephone Goes Willingly With Hades (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:40:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22941907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilsciencequeen/pseuds/Lilsciencequeen
Summary: In years to come, they would say he stole her away, kidnapped her to have her as his own. It was fitting, after all, he was the King of the Underworld, the darkness his domain, the goddess of Spring an easy conquest.But in fact, it was quite the opposite.He wasn't the one to steal her away. It was his brother. He wanted her for his own, thinking she could be useful for extending his power, his hold over the people. They loved her after all, and if he had her as his own, well they would love him too, wouldn't they?But he, Fitz, merely offered his hand and told her that she didn't have to go with him. That she could make her own choice, that she could see the world how she wanted to see it.She could live in the world that she dreamed about, despite how the world really was.She could escape the powers and the fear that his brother commanded.He offered her a chance, a way out.He offered her safety, a home.He offered her a hand, one that she didn't have to take.And she took it anyway.
Relationships: Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	let the world we dream about be the one we live in now

_ In years to come, they would say he stole her away, kidnapped her to have her as his own. It was fitting, after all, he was the King of the Underworld, the darkness his domain, the goddess of Spring an easy conquest. _

_ But in fact, it was quite the opposite. _

_ He wasn't the one to steal her away. It was his brother. He wanted her for his own, thinking she could be useful for extending his power, his hold over the people. They loved her after all, and if he had her as his own, well they would love him too, wouldn't they? _

_ But he, Fitz, merely offered his hand and told her that she didn't have to go with him. That she could make her own choice, that she could see the world how she wanted to see it. _

_ She could live in the world that she dreamed about, despite how the world really was. _

_ She could escape the powers and the fear that his brother commanded. _

_ He offered her a chance, a way out. _

_ He offered her safety, a home. _

_ He offered her a hand, one that she didn't have to take. _

_ And she took it anyway. _

***

That had been a lifetime ago. Several lifetimes in fact but that didn't matter now. Their relationship, one that had started with a promise of something more, had happened. Their relationship had grown and bloomed, love having taken root and blossomed into the sweetest smelling rose.

It was slow at first, both of them cautious, unsure about what this could mean for the both of them but after many months together, many winters spent here, in the Underworld, it had become a blossoming flower, that sweet rose, the two of them becoming close and closer still. To start with Jemma had another room at the far side of his palace, but after only a handful of weeks, she had gone from that room of her own to sharing a bed with him and waking up in his embrace. In fact, many mornings began with the two of them in bed, a tangle of limbs, where it was hard to see where one began. They were one entity, their hearts beating as not two but one.

But this morning was different for Fitz was awake before her, and as he rose his attention turned to her, still asleep, her chest rising and falling peacefully. And his heart broke in two because today… well, today was the first day of Spring. 

The day that she would be leaving him, returning to the world above. 

It would only be for six months, then she would return to him. Here. The place that she called home, the place that she preferred but it would be a long six months. 

Six months of coldness, of darkness. 

Six months where the light and the joy, the food and the harvests she reaped would be given to those above. 

Six months without her in the bed, where he wouldn’t wake up beside her.

He knew that he should be grateful but still, he couldn’t help the fact that today hurt. The day that he would lose her to the ones above who didn’t care about her, love her the way that he did. They idolised her, praised her for her gifts and not who she really was but with how the world was dying... her powers were no longer as strong as they once were. She had less control over the world that she helped to command and in the panic, they called on her to fix it.

They had destroyed her world and didn't care that it was killing her. They wanted a simple fix, one that she used to be able to provide but was now becoming much harder. A simple fix that was slowly draining her of all of her powers.

Pushing back the blankets, careful so as not to disturb her, he slid out of the bed, the tiles of the floor cold beneath his bare feet and went left the bedroom, not quite sure where he was going, and what he was doing.

***

_ His brother had taken his anger out on Jemma, had sent bolts of lightning raining down from the skies in his fury. Fitz had remained unharmed, his power matching (and sometimes even more powerful) than his brother's, but Jemma had taken the brunt of it (and in the days and years to follow, he couldn’t help but think that Jemma purposely took the brunt of the storm, wanting to protect him from the pain and the anguish that it could have caused). _

_ But unlike him, her powers weren't as strong, she was one of the lesser goddesses, one who would be forgotten to time in lifetimes to come when the people moved on. She wasn’t strong enough to take the storm, it had damn near killed her and in those first few days, he didn’t think that he would pull through. _

_ Nine whole days she slept, fitting and shaking throughout.  _

_ The tenth morning she woke up, scared, terrified, but when those eyes fell on him, a soft brown so full of life, found his own, as blue as the sky his brother ruled and as deep as the realm his other brother commanded, she instantly relaxed. _

_ In them, she found home. _

***

He was in his office, staring out at the kingdom, his kingdom. The vast cavern was still an inky black, only the first lamps flickering on and casting an orange glow on everything surrounding them. 

He closed his eyes, pressing a hand against the glass. It was cold against his palm, biting into his flesh. 

Moment after moment passed, how many moments, he wasn’t sure, but shortly, he felt someone wrap their arms around his waist, a hand resting against his chest. 

“Hey.” The word was nothing more than a whisper, a single syllable breathed into the room. “What’s wrong?”

Shaking his head, he spun away from the window and relaxed into her embrace, enjoying the moment. But seeing her, it was too much, it made his heart hurt. It made it rip not just into two but into many fragments, all of them shattering into much smaller fragments. He dipped his head down, scared and ashamed to meet her gaze, as gentle as it may be. If he was a stronger man, if he was a better man, maybe they could have found a way to stay together so they wouldn't have to mourn the sun when it once again raised its head.

“Fitz, please.” The hurt, the longing, it was so evident. It was written across his face and he was an open book. “What is it? Is it today? Is it me leaving?”

Slowly, he looked back up at her and nodded, a single tear clinging to his lashes. 

***

_ “You did all this?” she asked, looking out at his kingdom. It was dark, it was damp, it was gloomy. But it was also wonderful. _

_ Houses and homes from all over the world, and all over the time lined the streets. Trees and plants, some long gone and forgotten to history lined the streets, with the soft orange glow from the flickering lamps lighting up everything. People roamed the streets, laughing and loving, exchanging goods or simply talking. They were getting on with everything as if death hadn't cloaked them in darkness and stolen them from the world of the living. _

_ This place, this underworld; it wasn't a hell, a place where suffering was known. _

_ It was a community where even after death, life could continue, life could flourish.  _

_ It was beautiful.  _

_ “They told me it was hell.” She sounded shocked, horrified that she had been lied to. That people had tried to tell her this was a place to be avoided simply because of the man that ran it was a monster and thought that no one deserved peace or happiness. _

_ He shook his head, taking her hand and leading her from the room, down the corridor and down the stairs. “People like to think that I’m a monster, a man similar to my father.” The last word was spat out as if it disgusted him. “When I took over I made a vow I wouldn’t make souls suffer after death. So many don’t achieve all that they wanted during life…” _

_ “So you allowed them to achieve it all now, to get everything that they wanted and more?” _

_ He nodded, pushing open the door. "I wanted everyone to be happy, to allow them to do what they wanted, to live the life they deserve, even if that life no longer exists. I couldn't let my father's legacy exist, not when I suffered at his hand." _

_ Jemma halted, standing in the doorway and staring out at the place that even she had called home for the past four months, had never truly visited. “Where are we going?”  _

_ He paused, now realising that she had stopped.  _

_ “I’m showing you around.” _

***

“I know,” she whispered, caressing his face. Her hands were soft, gentle as they traced the structure of his cheek, before cupping it. “I know but…” she shook her head, dropping her own gaze this time.

“What?” Her actions, everything about her told him that she was hiding something.

“It doesn’t matter,” she told him, pulling out of his grasp.

Crossing the room, she didn’t even look at him as she walked away, not even when she left his office, the door closing gently behind her.

Fighting every urge, he didn’t follow her. He knew that this time of the year hurt her as much as him, even more so. They had grown to know and love each other in the six months they spent together each year, over the many decades they spent together and saying goodbye hurt them the most. The six months apart were oh so long when they six months together went by so quick and sometimes, seeing her again was the only thing that kept him going through these long summer months.

He knew that she needed this time alone before the summer came to prepare herself for all that would come, for what she would have to do up there, despite how little respect so now received for it.

And when ready, she would speak to him.

She always did before she left.

***

_ Things changed after that day in town. Things had been peaceful, fun but then that tranquillity was ruined. _

_ Her mother had come down, a storm and furious that her daughter had run away and with spring drawing closer each day, she was needed back up on top. _

_ Without her, the crops had a higher chance of failing, the weather was colder. It was a never-ending winter and she was the only one who could stop it. _

_ Word had spread that Fitz had taken her, his brother furious that he had lost Jemma as if she were some sort of prize that was to be won.  _

_ And she had come back demanding her daughter. _

_ Jemma had tried and tried to argue that she had come here of her own accord, that she had chosen this life but her mother wasn’t having any of it. She tried to force Jemma to come and after multiple arguments that lasted many hours, an agreement had been reached. _

_ For six months of the year, Jemma would stay above ground, in the land of the living, where she would help the crops grow and bring summer to all those who lived there. _

_ For the other six, she would spend her time here, with Fitz, The man that she loved. She knew her mother had hoped that the less time that she spent with Fitz, the further they would grow apart, with him soon being forgotten so she could carry about her duties. _

_ But that didn’t work. _

_ The winter months were the months that Jemma looked forward to the most, the days she counted down to - her reunion with Fitz being the highlight of her year. _

_ And soon, the years and the decades past, these then bleeding into centuries their love never waning but only growing stronger, the distance only helping that. _

_ *** _

It was hours later that he found her, she had vanished, disappearing into the metropolis that he ruled over. He knew on this day that she preferred to be alone, to collect her thoughts before their final meal together. The one that always ended with her reuniting with her mother.

He shuddered at that through as he found her sitting in a bakery, a half-eaten sandwich in front of her, a book on her lap. 

“Jemma,” he whispered, coming to sit down beside her. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Closing her book, she looked up and met his gaze, really focusing her attention on him. “I can tell you Fitz, and I promise that I will but not here, okay?” She cast a glance over her shoulder, at all the others surrounding them, at everyone enjoying themselves, not having a care in the world.

“Do you want to go back home? Tell me there?”

“Please,” she told him, taking the hand that he offered her. The crowds were still heavy despite the fact that it was late afternoon but everyone parted when they saw who it was trying to make their way in the opposite direction, towards the palace. No-one stopped to speak to them, no one asked them how they were, how their day was. They knew what today was, what would be happening in only several hours times so they left them alone, allowing them to have their time together, the two of them walking hand in hand in silence.

And when they finally made it back, Jemma told him everything.

***

_ He watched her lay there, lying on the blanket. She was halfway between sleep and being awake, watching as the dragonflies danced overhead, the fireflies providing the lights for their show. _

_ He had taken her out for a picnic, treated her to many of the delicacies from around the world that had been lost to history. Breads and pastries and cakes that she could no longer get in the Spring offerings, the recipes lost to history. These dates were some of the things that they looked forward to the most. They only had six months with each other each year, and in the months they spent apart, his kingdom kept growing and growing more and more things being added to it. _

_ Libraries and theatres, cafes and bakeries, monuments and landmarks all appeared during the summer, the city growing larger and larger every day as more and more people died. There was so much for Jemma to take in, and she wanted to see it all. Talk to everyone. _

_ She was worshipped, she was seen as a queen. _

_ And her relationship with Fitz deepened, becoming much more intimate, much deeper than anything he had ever expected. _

_ She was the woman he wanted to spend eternity with. _

***

“You’re staying?” he whispered, reaching up and cupping her face. She wasn’t making any sense to him because she needed to go above, back to the land of the living. Because they needed her. Without her, they would suffer. The crops, the harvest… they couldn’t survive without her. They couldn’t bloom without her and now she was going to put them all at risk. “Jemma…”

“They don’t need me up there.” Her voice was a husky whisper. “They’re… they can cope without me. I can’t keep doing this Fitz. Losing you, again and again, only having you for months at a time then losing you… No. Not this time. Not again.”

“What about your mother, my brother? We both know their anger, what we’re risking is extremely dangerous."

She shook her head, a loose curl falling from her bun. "I don't care about them. About any of them."

Looking deep in her eyes, he could tell that she meant it, that everyone else no longer mattered to her. Just him. 

“For you,” she told him, “I’m prepared to risk everything.” She leaned in and kissed him, her lips rough, almost angry against him.

And leaning into the kiss, he decided that she was worth the risk.

And one that he would take every time.


End file.
